Euronews

Anti-establishment sentiments were the driving force behind two protests in Spain on Saturday.

Demonstrators in Barcelona expressed their anger at prime minister Mariano Rajoy and his centre-right government’s recent legal reforms – including the abortion law and the penal code. Around 4,000 people took part in what started as a peaceful protest, before violence later broke out when hooded protesters threw stones and petrol bombs.

The monarchy was the target of the anger of protesters in Madrid. Here, a much smaller group of about a hundred people gathered – some carrying banners with slogans such as “Tomorrow Spain will be a republic!”

The weekend before, a protest against austerity measures and unemployment drew tens of thousands of people to the city.